Bill Gates announces top 10 finalists and thanks His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his patronage of the prize

The top 10 finalists for the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize 2018 are announced today at globalteacherprize.org. Now in its fourth year, the US$1 million prize is the largest of its kind and awarded under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

The winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai on Sunday 18 March 2018, the highlight of a star-studded ceremony at The Palm which will be beamed live around the world.

In a special video message announcing the top ten finalists, philanthropist Bill Gates paid special tribute to Sheikh Mohammed for his support of the prize, which highlights the work of teachers around the world.

He said: “For his patronage of the prize, thank you to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.”

Mr. Gates added:

“When you think about what drives progress and improvement in the world, education is like a master switch—one that opens up all sorts of opportunities for individuals and societies.

“And research has shown that having a great teacher can be the most important factor that determines whether students get a great education.

“Finalists were selected based on a rigorous set of criteria, including their proven effectiveness in inspiring students and helping them learn.

“Just as important, these teachers are leaders who have innovated in the classroom and mentored their colleagues.

“They have demonstrated the kind of collaboration—teachers and schools working together—that can give all students the opportunity to get a great education”.

The 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize 2018 are:

Nurten Akkuş a pre-school teacher and principal at Ayvacık Pre-School, Samsun, Turkey;
Marjorie Brown, who teaches history at Roedean School, Johannesburg, South Africa;
Luis Miguel Bermudez Gutierrez, a social science teacher at the Colegio Gerardo Paredes IED, Bogotá, Colombia;
Jesus Insilada, who teaches English and creative writing at Caninguan National High School in Lambunao, Iloilo, Philippines;
Glenn Lee, an engineering and technology teacher from Waialua High & Intermediate School, Waialua, Hawaii, United States;
Diego Mahfouz Faria Lima, director of Darcy Ribeiro Municipal School, in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil;
Koen Timmers, a lecturer at PXL university college in Hasselt and a computer science teacher at CVO De Verdieping school in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium;
Eddie Woo, a mathematics teacher from Cherrybrook Technology High School, Sydney, Australia;
Andria Zafirakou, an art and textiles teacher from Alperton Community School, Brent, London, United Kingdom;
Barbara Anna Zielonka, an English teacher at Nannestad High School, Norway.

The finalists have been selected from over 30,000 nominations and applications from 173 countries around the world. The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.

By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes that have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.

The top 10 have been narrowed down from a top 50 shortlist that was announced in December 2017. By highlighting their stories, the Varkey Foundation hopes the public will be able to join in passionate debates about the importance of teachers.

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize, said:

“I want to congratulate the top 10 finalists who have made it through from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers. I hope their stories will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over the world every day.

“The thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives”.

The original top 50 shortlisted teachers were narrowed down to ten finalists by a Prize Committee. The winner will be chosen from this 10 by the Global Teacher Prize Academy. All 10 finalists will be invited to Dubai for the Award ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum on Sunday 18 March, where the winner will be announced live on stage in a red-carpet gala event.

Further information about the top 10 finalists will be available from Wednesday 14 February here: http://www.globalteacherprize.org.